Tonga Health Insurance

Medical insurance for those living or working in Tonga. Customized Tonga health insurance plans and quotes available.

Tonga is an archipelago located in the south pacific due east of Fiji and approximately two thirds of the way to New Zealand from Hawaii. Tonga was originally known as the friendly islands, as when Captain Cook arrived he was fortunate to arrive on the eve of the inasi festival, a huge feast which is conducted annually. He attended as a special guest of the Tu′i Tonga, the head chief of Tonga. It was later found out that the head chief of Tonga originally planned to feast on Captain Cook but a plan could not be formulated by the time the feast came around, and thus Captain Cook was not eaten.

Tonga is unique among the Pacific nation as it never lost its indigenous governance. Tonga remains today the only monarchy left in the Pacific region. Tonga withdrew from the protection of the British in 1970 and joined the Commonwealth of Nations later that year.

Tonga Medical Insurance News

Tonga was originally known as the friendly islands, as when Captain Cook arrived he was fortunate to arrive on the eve of the inasi festival, a huge feast which is conducted annually. He attended as a special guest of the Tu′i Tonga, the head chief of Tonga. It was later found out that the head chief of Tonga originally planned to feast on Captain Cook but a plan could not be formulated by the time the feast came around, and thus Captain Cook was not eaten. Tonga is unique among the Pacific nation as it never lost its indigenous governance. Tonga remains today the only monarch left in the Pacific region. Tonga withdrew from the protection of the British in 1970 and joined the Commonwealth of Nations later that year. Over the years since its independence, Tonga′s King, Siaosi Tupou V, has remained committed to developing Tonga′s health care system to be the best out of any Pacific Island nation.

Over the last 50 years Tonga has seen an explosion in the quality of living standards and now Tonga faces little, if any absolute poverty. The country places 55th in the United Nations Development Program′s (UNDP), well ahead of Samoa 96th and Fiji 92nd, Human Development Index ranking (HDI). This is easily the highest of any pacific island nation. Thus reflecting the comparatively high gross domestic product (GDP) of the tiny pacific island nation, of $1780 USD per capita and the high life expectancy and near universal literacy. A credit to the Tongan monarchy is its near abolishment of poverty from the islands; an estimated 4% of the Tongan population lives on less than 1 USD per day and around 6.7% of households live below the food poverty line.

Since the 1950′s Tonga has experienced its first epidemiological transition, with a rapidly increasing life expectancy and falling maternal mortality, child mortality rates and fertility rates. Life expectancy at birth increased from 40 years in 1939 to 71 years average in 2003. The proportions of deaths caused by communicable diseases fell from 32% during the 50′s to 3.6% during the 90′s, while during the same period the proportions of death from non-communicable diseases rose from 5.6% to 38%.

One major health concern for Tongans is the large amounts of food they consume in proportion to the amount of exercise they do. Studies by many major Australian Universities show that the average Tongan male consumes more than double the quantity of food and calories consumed by the average Australian male. Women are also more overweight than men, while men have a higher prevalence of other risk factors, including smoking, elevated blood lipids and hypertension.

In Tonga all citizens are guaranteed access to health services free of charge, and physical access to these facilities remains quite good. Easy access to these facilities is of course except if you happen to live or travel to an outlying isolated island. This luxury of free medical costs however is not passed onto foreigners who do not hold Tongan citizenship. Primary health care and preventative services are delivered through a system of 14 health centers and 34 maternal health clinics. The overall bed occupancy rate in Tonga is low at 34%, suggesting that the hospitals are oversized and the demand has not yet caught up with the supply.

Overall Tonga has a well rounded and easily accessible healthcare service, unless of course you find yourself on one of the outer islands. As is true with any country in the world, there are some problems inherent in the system; however most people are able to receive the care that they need when they need it. The only way to avoid the issues and concerns of any healthcare system in the world is through a quality international health insurance plan. These Tonga expat health insurance plans give you the flexibility to go to the doctor or hospital of your choice, meaning that no matter where in the world you may be located, from Afghanistan to the United States of America, you will always be able to receive the highest standard of care available.

About Tonga

Tonga is an archipelago located in the south pacific due east of Fiji and approximately two thirds of the way to New Zealand from Hawaii. Tonga was originally known as the friendly islands, as when Captain Cook arrived he was fortunate to arrive on the eve of the inasi festival, a huge feast which is conducted annually. He attended as a special guest of the Tu′i Tonga, the head chief of Tonga. It was later found out that the head chief of Tonga originally planned to feast on Captain Cook but a plan could not be formulated by the time the feast came around, and thus Captain Cook was not eaten. Tonga is unique among the Pacific nation as it never lost its indigenous governance. Tonga remains today the only monarch left in the Pacific region. Tonga withdrew from the protection of the British in 1970 and joined the Commonwealth of Nations later that year.

Whenever you travel to a new country it can be daunting and because of this it is often important to have some background information on your destination. Because of this we have provided a general outline of Tonga below. Please be advised that information contained in this page is subject to change without prior warning or knowledge, and as such you should consult an expert for the most accurate details.

Official Name: Kingdom of Tonga

Capital: Nuku′alofa

Location: Tonga is located in the South Pacific approximately two thirds of the way to New Zealand from Hawaii

Size: Tonga is approximately 748 sq km, comparatively this is slightly bigger than Singapore

Climate: Tonga has a tropical climate with a fluctuation of a warm season (December to May) and a cool season (May to December) which is affected by the trade winds from the south.

Population: Tonga has an approximate population of 120,898 people. .

Life expectancy at birth: The average Tongan can expect to live up to 70.73 years of age.

Major illnesses: There are no major prevalent diseases in Tonga; however outbreaks of malaria, typhoid and dengue fever are common.

Ethnicities: Polynesians and Europeans

Languages: Tongan, English

Religion: Christian

Government: Tonga is a constitutional monarchy in which all power is invested in the king, however he may not create legislature that affects Tongans rights as set out in the constitution.

Head of State: The current king of Tonga is George Tupou V.

Economy: Tonga has a small underdeveloped South Pacific island economy relying mainly on aid, remittances form overseas Tongan communities and its agricultural and fishing exports which include vanilla, yams and squash this including fish make up two thirds of Tonga′s exports. The majority of the other third of the countries exports consist of the tourism sector of the economy. The country imports a high proportion of its food, mainly from New Zealand, because of its natural lack of resources. The government is emphasizing the development of the private sector, especially the encouragement of investment, and is committing increased funds for health and education which have lead to small increases in the economy. Tonga has a reasonably sound basic infrastructure and well-developed social services, such as compulsory free education up until the age of 14. Despite these factors, high unemployment amongst the young, a continuing upwards spiral in inflation, pressures for democratic reform and rising civil services cost are all problems which look to face the economy in the future.

GDP: The Tongan GDP has the purchasing parity of approximately $549.1 million USD

Tonga Travel Tips

Whenever you travel overseas it is often useful to understand the local laws and customs in the destination country, as they can often be very different to your own. Tonga′s legal system may be similar to that of many western countries; however there are a few differences in culture which are worth noting as to avoid possible trouble. As such we have provided some Tonga travel advice so that you may stay safe and better enjoy your travels.

Please be advised that the information contained on this page is not fully comprehensive and may be liable to change without prior warning; as such you should consult a travel expert or your local embassy prior to departing on your journey.

We advise you to exercise caution on matters that might affect your safety in the capital Nuku′alofa. Because of the risk of being caught up in incidents of violent civil unrest pay close attention to your personal security and monitor the media for information about possible new safety or security risks.

Since November 2006, as a result of politically related violence in Nuku′alofa, the Tongan Government has had in place emergency powers which allow it to control the use of roads and which prohibit protests, rallies and demonstrations. You should therefore take notice of this and adhere to any direct instructions from the authorities when travelling through Nuku′alofa

Cyclone season in Tonga is from November to April. If you plan to visit Tonga during these times you are advised to take necessary precautions and you should contact your tour operator to check whether services at your planned destination have been affected. However, tropical storms and cyclones may occur in other months.

Crime levels in Tonga are relatively low, although there has been a rise in house break-ins and property theft. There have also been some incidences of violent assault associated with robbery. Security risks increase after dark.

Driving in Tonga can be hazardous, particularly at night, due to poor visibility, the lack of quality of roads and the significant volume of pedestrian traffic.

You can obtain a local visitor′s driving license on the production of a full UK, Australian, New Zealand, American and other driving license. Roads are generally in good condition but can be narrow and are sometimes potholed. The low speed limits are strictly applied with on the spot fines. Care should be taken when driving after dark and there is sometimes a risk of rock falls particularly after heavy rain.

Tongan society is very conservative and highly religious. You will be expected to dress modestly and respect local customs and culture; insults to religion are not taken lightly in Tonga.

Homosexuality is technically illegal in many Pacific countries and the law is occasionally enforced. Open displays of affection between same-sex partners may cause offence in Tonga, however, there is no law in Tonga stating homosexual behavior is illegal.

Drug taking in all forms is illegal. Importing or exporting illegal drugs attracts a maximum penalty of 30 years hard labor and/or a fine of several hundred thousand US dollars. Those found guilty of cultivating or distributing illegal drugs are likely to receive similarly/harsher severe punishments.

For more information about traveling to Tonga, health insurance plans that we can offer there, or to receive a free customized quote, please contact one of our dedicated advisors today.

For more information about Tonga, the health insurance plans that we can offer there, or to receive a free quote, please contact one of our expert advisors today.